Does your Swift rattle?

This is a discussion on Does your Swift rattle? within Technical Stuff, part of the Under the Hood category; I knew Swift rattles but still I took Swift for the sheer performance and handling which of course I am ...

I knew Swift rattles but still I took Swift for the sheer performance and handling which of course I am a die hard fan of!!!

Yep, mine rattles like hell in just 7 months (11k kms). I drive daily around 12kms in very very very insane roads without tar at some spots!!!

People who say their Swift doesn't rattle please do the 'rattle' test on bad roads, don't judge by a normal road! Bcoz on normal roads with slight patches you won't realise much, but once the road condition goes below 70%, Swift rattles and shakes (moreso due to the hard suspension too). And one big thing to be noted is that, when Swift lands in large potholes it does so with a huge thud with sounds emanating from the dashboard and door pads and where not! Similar kinds of sounds never come from Polo or Figo.

And add to it, I did my external power windows added in front, giving hell lotsa rattling from doors :(

Thumbs down for build quality, Thumps up for the 'Swift' youth image and performance. Sad to say, my new Swift rattles much like my 10 yr SOLD Esteem Vx.

Swift LDi July 2010.

Note: After every service for around 1 week there is no rattling. Need any more evidence on build quality. Its very evident that 'some' things get loose.

My Swift ZXi has 125000 on the odo. A clean car (minus all the things in the glove-box and the side-pockets) does not rattle; no matter what the road condition. There are squeaks alright; but no rattles.

Its over two years now. The only rattle i get is due to the coins in the side pockets or glove box and if i am really dragging the car at 35KMPH in fourth gear. Or it could be that I am just used to the sound of the car that i no longer recognize it as rattle.

Squeaks are definitely there. Last three days i am driving without the rear speaker board which just broke into two. Thanks to radio warehouse, the quality of material used is just a little better than chart paper when it actually broke. Now my family carpenter is making one for me with a decent compressed wood that will last. Cost is much less than the ready made ones for sure. Back to the topic, now i can hear more squeaks with direct access to boot.

Overall satisfied with the fit. Though i service my car once every 5K (oil and top ups) and i always give my car to one mechanic here in MSN who does check doors and dashboard for rattles. Every 10K he does remove the dash board and re fit them after checking for rattles and squeaks.

I have been defending the myth that all Swifts are rattly but am fighting a losing battle. Most fellow Swifties are like: "I love my baby but it's a rattle-trap!" The only rattling I hear is if I leave my tools etc. loose in the boot (happens almost after every service) or something small bouncing around in the 2nd DIN wala khancha (What else do you call it!)

Touch wood I guess. Or maybe the previous owner did some damping. No idea, but am not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth!

ah guys, there was a lot of talk regarding damping. if i put in cloth inside the door pads for damping, wouldn't it foul with the window glass roll down and roll up

Not sure its the right way to add damping materials to the doors. There is a thread in DIY where the damping process is explained. Check that thread and you may get an idea about using the right damping material than Cloth.

2008 Dzire, Lot of annoying rattles from the front passenger door and the dashboard. I am going to try the damping solution mentioned in a do it yourself elsewhere on the forum. Lets hope it makes it alright.
As per the service centers, the authorized people could not even diagnose the problems. This is really disappointing. The built quality is just pathetic.

Yes, unfortunately, and it's REALLY annoying. It's the one negative that you have to live with on a daily basis in what is otherwise a great little car. The thing is though my central locking is an after-market fit, so I think it's control roads inside that rattle more than anything, but it's also occasional rattles from the doors, glove compartment lid, and things like that.

As someone who's owned multiple MUL products, this is an inherent issue with them, much more than any other car manufacturer. The SX4 doesn't rattle to the same extent, so clearly MUL knows how to prevent rattles from creeping in early in their cars' life.

My Swift-D's done about 34,000 kms on predominantly smooth roads (I'm one of those drivers that avoids bumps and potholes like the plague), and the rattles started coming in at about 20k. Like I said, annoying.

I have a swift Ldi with aftermarket power windows fitted on the front doors. They do make quite a bit of rattle while going through bad roads. Since it is an aftermarket fitting, I am a bit uneasy to open the door panel myself and experiment. Is there any good shops in Ernakulam/Kochi where I can get the damping done?

My Swift-D's covered about 40,000 km and I guess the rattles were inevitable. To be fair, Bombay's roads are only getting worse and the rattles were fairly minor, but I can't live with them.

So, I did a little bit of research, and with a capable and willing mechanic we sorted out all the door rattles in three hours. I took some inspiration and tips from the 'Damping' thread on the forum, and realized that all it would take is some foam, some rubber solution, and some elbow grease.

Oh, and 300 bucks.

What the mech did:

1. Undid all the door panels.
2. Replaced all the screwheads and washers with new ones.
3. Stuck the foam on either side of the door to add some sound deadening and insulation.
4. Made sure the foam didnt foul with the power windows or central locking.
5. Replaced worn plastic door clips with new ones (only two needed to be replaced).